2016 Independent Spirit Award Nominations

Carol

The nominations for Independent Spirit Awards were announced earlier. CAROL leads the pack with 6 nominations. The Todd Haynes directed film is up for picture, director, Screenplay, cinematography and lead actress. Yes, both Blanchett and Mara are nominated in lead despite the great efforts of Weinsteins to push Mara for supporting. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD makes a big comeback with 5 nominations. Netflix's first feature film has garnered huge acclaim for its relentless display of brutality. It is up here for picture, director, cinematography and two acting nods for lead Attah and supporting Elba. The revolutionary indie iPhone shot transgender dramedy TANGERINE is nominated for picture, director and for its lead / supporting duo.

The exciting slate of nominees also features a rare picture nod for the animated film ANOMALISA. Huge acclaim from its festival premiere two months back and its up here for picture, director, Screenplay and yes, supporting actress nod for Jennifer Jason Leigh. The fifth and final film nominated is the supposed Oscar frontrunner SPOTLIGHT. Up for picture, director, editing and Screenplay.  The ensemble is to receive the Robert Altman award. The stylish horror film IT FOLLOWS was not forgotten which got mentions in director, editing and Screenplay. Acclaimed Sundance entry JAMES WHITE received nominations for lead Abbot, supporting Nixon and best first film. Films like HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT, THE MEND, THE END OF THE TOUR, RESULTS, LOVE & MERCY, MEDDITERANEA, 99 HOMES, THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, BONE TOMAHAWK etc were also acknowledged in various categories.

ROOM surprisingly didn't show up as hugely as it was predicted to be. Only got nods for its lead Larson, editing and first screenplay. Because of the rules probably, films like BROOKLYN weren't widely featured. Also enticing lineup for international and documentary lineup. That and other categories can be seen in the full list below:


Best Feature
Anomalisa
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
Spotlight
Tangerine

Best Director
Cary Joji Fukunaga – Beasts of No Nation
Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson – Anomalisa
David Robert Mitchell – It Follows
Sean Baker – Tangerine
Todd Haynes – Carol
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight

Best Male Lead
Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation
Ben Mendelsohn – Mississippi Grind
Christopher Abbott – James White
Jason Segel – The End of the Tour
Kudos Seihon – Mediterranea

Best Female Lead
Bel Powley – Diary of a Teenage Girl
Brie Larson – Room
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez – Tangerine
Rooney Mara – Carol

Best Supporting Male
Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation
Kevin Corrigan – Results
Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
Paul Dano – Love & Mercy
Richard Jenkins – Bone Tomahawk

Best Supporting Female
Cynthia Nixon – James White
Jennifer Jason Leigh – Anomalisa
Marin Ireland – Glass Chin
Mya Taylor – Tangerine
Robin Bartlett – H.

Best Screenplay
Charlie Kaufman – Anomalisa
Donald Marguiles – The End of the Tour
Phyllis Nagy – Carol
S. Craig Zahler – Bone Tomahawk
Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer – Spotlight

Best Film Editing
Julio C. Perez IV – It Follows
Kristan Sprague – Manos Sucias
Nathan Nugent – Room
Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie – Heaven Knows What
Tom McArdle – Spotlight

Best Cinematography
Cary Joji Fukunaga – Beasts of No Nation
Ed Lachman – Carol
Joshua James Richards – Songs My Brothers Taught Me
Michael Gioulakis – It Follows
Reed Morano – Meadowland

Best International Film
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
Embrace of the Serpent
Girlhood
Mustang
Son of Saul

Best Documentary
(T)error
Best of Enemies
Heart of a Dog
Meru
The Look of Silence
The Russian Woodpecker

Best First Feature
James White
Manos Sucias
Mediterranea
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
The Diary of a Teenage Girl

Best First Screenplay
Emma Donoghue – Room
Jesse Andrews – Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
John Magary, Russell Harbaugh, and Myna Joseph – The Mend
Jonas Carpignano – Mediterranea
Marielle Heller – The Diary of a Teenage Girl

John Cassavetes Award
Advantageous
Christmas, Again
Heaven Knows What
Krisha
Out of My Mind

Robert Altman Award

Spotlight